Authorities had agreed to confirm Kasab news: Durrani
Thursday, 08 Jan, 2009 | 02:41 PM PST |
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security agencies had authorised confirmation the surviving Mumbai gunman was Pakistani, former national security adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani said on Thursday, adding he was sacked because the prime minister had been out of the loop.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired Durrani, on Wednesday, shortly after he and other officials had confirmed to reporters the gunman in Indian custody was Pakistani.
Newspapers in India interpreted his dismissal as a reaction to his revelation of the truth about the gunman’s nationality.
But Durrani said authorities, including the powerful security agencies, had already decided to confirm the gunman was Pakistani.
‘It had been decided yesterday that we would tell the world that he is a Pakistani because hiding that makes no sense,’
Durrani told Reuters in a telephone interview.‘
The security agencies recommended it and ... they repeated it to me,’ he said.
Durrani said he was dismissed because Gilani had not been informed about the decision to confirm Kasab’s nationality and the prime minister had ‘felt the need to exert his authority.’
‘The prime minister happened to be ignorant. He was in Lahore and he didn’t know about it. He was out of the loop,’ Durrani said.
Gilani’s office said Durrani had been sacked ‘for his irresponsible behaviour for not taking the prime minister and other stakeholders into confidence’.
Durrani’s dismissal was the latest incident since the Mumbai attacks to raise questions about who is in charge in Pakistan.
Durrani said the confirmation of Kasab’s nationality should help ease tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
‘Obviously, this would help the situation with India and that is the primary concern, that you tell the world, tell India, that ‘yes, guys, we didn’t make this announcement because we were not sure of the facts. Now we are sure of the facts and we’re saying yes, he was Pakistani’.’
Earlier on Wednesday,
Gilani had said Pakistan’s investigation was making progress.
‘We are prepared to take this process forward with a view to uncovering full facts thus ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous crime whosoever they may be are brought to justice,’ he said.
Durrani said he had been doing what was best for peace.
‘I have no bad conscience. I was doing what is best for Pakistan, I was doing what is best for peace between India and Pakistan. If it doesn’t suit some people, then so be it.’
http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm/connect...s-had-agreed-to-confirm-kasab-news-durrani-ha